Anyone using Red Sound FRFRs?

[Greg Ferguson]

I will most likely get another pair of E.8s as a backup, or maybe a pair of MF10s or CLRs.

Don’t overlook the EVs. I thought their sound was very similar to the ELIS.8. The EVs give you more usable positions and have 12” coaxial speakers.

 

[AmbientOwl]

So turn down your speaker, and turn up your Axe. Then try to find something wrong with how it sounds.

Agree this is a big YMMV-type question. Was just curious what others have done. Redsound recommends running the speakers around 7, and I believe I've seen recommendations to keep Fractal output around 12:00-15:00 for best tones. That combo is house-shakingly loud (pretty impressive for 8" speakers, honestly).

Personally, I found the speakers lower and Fractal higher combo made it sound a bit anemic, for want of a better word.

Still feel there's always something to learn from how others use their products.

 

[AmbientOwl]

The EVs give you more usable positions

Could you elaborate on this? All the images I see of the EVs have a single orientation employed. Are you talking about just standing them upright the other direction (on the end that doesn't have feet)?

 

[Rex]

Personally, I found the speakers lower and Fractal higher combo made it sound a bit anemic, for want of a better word.

Could that be because there’s less volume?

 

[Greg Ferguson]

Could you elaborate on this? All the images I see of the EVs have a single orientation employed. Are you talking about just standing them upright the other direction (on the end that doesn't have feet)?

Those are pictures to show the product, they're not pictures showing how wedge speakers can be positioned.

Wedges have at least two angles: there's the standard "flat on their back" and "on their side" positions, but on the EV there is another angle they'll rest stably on. The sound doesn't care because it uses a coaxial speaker, but we do sometimes because we want the sound aimed at our ears, or the audience's, and having the ability to change that angle is important. On the EVs, the colored edges are stable…



I added four feet to the colored sides of my cabinets so that when the speaker is resting on those angles, it's still protected from the floor surface.

 

[Greg Ferguson]

Personally, I found the speakers lower and Fractal higher combo made it sound a bit anemic, for want of a better word.

Odds are REALLY good you didn't match the actual volume.

 

[LiamH]

I've got the MF10 stereo bundle, but never compared with ELIS.8. I run them on combo amp stands to raise and tilt them back a little.

Power and mid-range punch are truly impressive. I find the bottom end surprisingly good for their size, probably as good as a 4 x 12 (or two )in practical terms.

They cannot quite recreate the top end sparkle of the Fearless F115 and Matrix that they have now essentially replaced, and to me don't seem quite as flat response. But that is a (big) "true" 3-way FRFR with a well phase-aligned crossover specifically designed for the job. However I blew the mid driver in the F115 last summer, and I didn't feel I was playing particularly loud at the time. Speaker cabs designed for bass guitar don't necessarily like recreating fuzzy mids at high power, no matter how flat and full range they might be. For sheer practicality, it's not a gigging proposition to be carrying a spare mid driver.

As an FRFR designed specifically for guitar amp modellers, I think the MF10s absolutely hit the mark in every way. I can't wait to get out and play loud with them!

Liam

 

[jimmynorrisjr]

Glad to have a large collection of users to ask this question of:

Where do you all set the volume on the Elis.8 (or MF.10) and the Axe itself? I'm pretty amazed by the output of these things, and if I keep them up around where the manual suggests I have to keep the Axe output pretty low on the front panel dial.

It's working for me so I probably shouldn't mess with it, but it does feel weird using such a small portion of the range of my output knob...

I didn't get a manual with mine, so not sure what that says. I started using it with Elis.8 volume at around 7 1/2 and just turn the Af3 output up to taste. I am in a very small bedroom right now, so not sure how "loud" they will get.

 

[jimmynorrisjr]

Could that be because there’s less volume?

There is always the dreaded fletcher munson curve to deal with.

 

[sb-SG]

I am a major fan of the MF-10's.
And later today I will own another stereo pair - seriously changed my whole AxeFX experience. IMO the perfect solution to shifting some air, feeling a lot like a traditional cab and maintaining fidelity.
The 2 pairs are for different locations but I'm surely going to have to wire up all 4 and see if I can break a few windows.....

 

[ZenRigs Man]

I am a major fan of the MF-10's.
And later today I will own another stereo pair - seriously changed my whole AxeFX experience. IMO the perfect solution to shifting some air, feeling a lot like a traditional cab and maintaining fidelity.
The 2 pairs are for different locations but I'm surely going to have to wire up all 4 and see if I can break a few windows.....

Make sure you take a video of when you hit that first power chord with all 4 wired up!

 

[jimmynorrisjr]

I finally got a chance to open up the Elis.8s, and I have to say these things are LOUD. I was not expecting them to be this loud. I originally had the Af3 output on -10, which worried me that they wouldn't compete. Switching to +4 was a wake up. This doesn't sound like 180 watts x2 of solid state to me, but what do I know. Seems louder, but Friday and Saturday will be the true test.

 

[jimmynorrisjr]

So I take it most are running the master around 8 then using the FAS output to control the level for live gigs with drums?

 

[Greg Ferguson]

Switching to +4 was a wake up.

Yea, +4 dB is for pro-level gear, which includes those cabs.

This doesn't sound like 180 watts x2 of solid state to me, but what do I know.

Their sensitivity rating is 98 dB, assuming that is at 1Watt/1Meter. At less than 10 watts you would be cruising at a comfortably loud stage volume, so the rest of the amp’s power is in reserve to handle the dynamics.

 

[jimmynorrisjr]

Yea, +4 dB is for pro-level gear, which includes those cabs.

Absolutely, I didn't see them clipping even with the Af3 output dimed. I don't want to count my eggs before they are hatched, but it seems hopeful. I play with some very loud drummers here and there.

 

[Greg Ferguson]

Absolutely, I didn't see them clipping even with the Af3 output dimed. I don't want to count my eggs before they are hatched, but it seems hopeful. I play with some very loud drummers here and there.

I wouldn’t try to fight the drummer, good drummers understand dynamics and when to get loud and when to back down.

They can easily keep up if they’re your personal monitors. If you’re expecting them to fill the room then they are probably underpowered, but that’s when we hand FOH an XLR and let that system pick up the load.

 

[jimmynorrisjr]

I wouldn’t try to fight the drummer, good drummers understand dynamics and when to get loud and when to back down.

They can easily keep up if they’re your personal monitors. If you’re expecting them to fill the room then they are probably underpowered, but that’s when we hand FOH an XLR and let that system pick up the load.

I will try them tonight to fill a very small pub gig for my acoustic duo. I have an EV on a stick if they are underpowered for those gigs. They will just be my monitors for the band gigs. I think I'll be ok.

 

[Greg Ferguson]

Make sure you take a video of when you hit that first power chord with all 4 wired up!

That thought makes me cringe. It’d be painfully loud. I’m imagining 2x4x12 type volume.

 

[jimmynorrisjr]

That thought makes me cringe. It’d be painfully loud.

I wonder if you would run into phasing issues with the 2 differing speaker pairs. Hmm

 

[AmbientOwl]

Reading the MF10 experiences here makes me want one, even knowing I'm fully content with my Elis.8 pair.